How Amtrak Fails the National Parks and America

Editor's note: National parks historian Alfred Runte has over the years closely watched how Congress has managed and funded Amtrak. Although funding for Fiscal Year 2019 is halfway to being assured -- the Senate has approved $50 million for the railroad, but the House of Representatives has yet to take up the measure -- he reminds us that only weeks ago Amtrak’s board approved the scenario here. A stay of execution for the Southwest Chief aside, Dr. Runte continues to lobby for the trains Americans deserve — and notes how to make that possible.

Imagine you’re a European travel agent with a client who wants to visit Grand Canyon National Park. She would prefer to take the train. At your local library you find a copy of Trains of Discovery: Railroads and the Legacy of Our National Parks, and start making plans from there. A few pages in, you learn that America’s railroads were instrumental in establishing the national parks — and the National Park Service. And yes, a train to Grand Canyon is available. It’s called the Southwest Chief. Departing daily from Chicago and Los Angeles, the Amtrak passenger train makes the 2,265-mile journey end-to-end in about two days. At Flagstaff, Arizona, a shuttle transfers passengers to the Grand Canyon Railway at Williams and the remaining 65 miles to South Rim. The Grand Canyon Railway, privately restored in 1989, is a remarkable story in itself. Another piece of history, the Harvey Girls, explains how the Southwest captured America’s heart.

Who were the Harvey Girls, your client asks? You recommend the movie starring Judy Garland. Meanwhile, she should start in Chicago, so she, too, can watch the West unfold.

Although no longer the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, the Amtrak route is flanked by glorious scenery. And a few remaining Harvey Houses, notably La Posada in Winslow, Arizona. Also the stop for the Southwest Chief, a yawning gate greets arriving passengers, while, to the delight of guests, today’s railroad, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), sends scores of freight trains past the hotel property. From that description, your client is sold on the trip. Weeks later, from her seat aboard the Southwest Chief in Chicago, she informs you the train left Union Station on time. “Wonderful,” you send her a text in reply. And you say Amtrak actually washed the windows?

As the Southwest Chief speeds west from Chicago, passengers enjoy the lush fields of Illinois before crossing the Mississippi River into Iowa. By morning, with Missouri behind, the train arrives in Dodge City, Kansas. Soon in Colorado, and seemingly in the middle of nowhere, your client is in for a big surprise. “La Junta!” the conductor barks, then adds a startling announcement: “Last stop! Everyone off the train!”

“Not with Amtrak,” the conductor retorts. “Starting today, we’re no longer running the train through to Los Angeles. We do provide a connecting bus, but that only goes as far as Albuquerque.”

By now, totally incredulous, your client texts you back: “I’m stuck in La Junta, Colorado! What is this? Another fast one by Donald Trump?!”

You know better, by now having read another book, Allies of the Earth: Railroads and the Soul of Preservation. Both political parties have failed the public. Amtrak started as a mess, and became an even bigger mess. After all, that’s the way Congress and the railroads wanted it.

Debating Amtrak in 1970 — leading to its launch the following year — Congress still expected its life to be brief, likely no longer than five years. The whole point of Amtrak was an orderly transition, that as opposed to dropping every train at once.

And still, on beginning operations May 1, 1971, Amtrak threw order to the winds, cutting all but 180 of the nearly 400 trains it had inherited from the railroads just the day before.

And to think, as of 1929, the United States had 20,000 intercity passenger trains. By 1939 they included the ten fastest trains in the world, with names like Hiawatha, Twentieth Century Limited, and Super Chief.

But back to 1971. The fix was in and Congress knew it. It was just a matter of time.

Just as suddenly, if not quite out of the blue, Amtrak won a reprieve. The irony is from where and by whom — OPEC. By the fall of 1973, the cartel, centered in the Middle East, was withholding millions of barrels of oil from US markets. Take that for supporting Israel, they said.

By Christmas and well into the spring of 1974, American motorists found themselves trapped in gas lines. Please, God! Let one filling station still be open! To be sure, often the waiting cars and rising tempers stretched around the corner for blocks.

In Washington, DC, Congress panicked. Should the worst case scenarios prove true — and OPEC not give in — America’s aging railroads, and likely even Amtrak, would be needed to keep the country moving. Of course, when oil reached OPEC’s target price, poof! The gas lines disappeared. The public soon forgot how close the nation had come to unraveling, but in the next election did choose a Democrat.

No matter, the moment Jimmy Carter settled in at the White House, Amtrak was back on the chopping block. What energy crisis? A trained engineer, President Carter wasn’t fooled by OPEC or experts predicting the so-called end of oil.

However, by then Amtrak itself had seen an opportunity for survival, having hunkered down, as of 1976, in the one place Congress had actually bought tracks for the company — the Northeast Corridor. Granted, the long-distance trains generated 60 percent of Amtrak’s business, but that required dealing with the railroads.

Allegedly (and Amtrak alleged it vigorously), what it called “emerging corridors” were the future, and its tracks, so-called BosWash (Boston to Washington via New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore) the granddaddy corridor of them all.

And thus the disconnect leading to La Junta and your stranded client. A remade Amtrak, arguing only for itself, determined to jettison the national system.

Too cynical? That’s what I thought — until joining the fight for the national system on Capitol Hill. Why not have more trains to the national parks, I asked Amtrak’s Vice President of Marketing? “You mean Indian Country?” he replied derisively. “I don’t want the cowboys and Indians market,” he added, and shuffled off.

He meant it, too, insisting that every train west of Chicago should be dropped and its equipment assigned to one or more of the corridors. Amtrak, making good the promise, then cut the last train to Yellowstone National Park, the North Coast Hiawatha, in October 1979.

True, no sooner had Jimmy Carter left the White House than Ronald Reagan picked up the drumbeat. However, the crippling cuts — and voodoo economics — had begun under President Carter. Reagan was just following through.

Face it. History determines outcomes. History alone has protected the long distance trains, that is, what few of them remain. Every time Amtrak or the White House tried to finish them off, the American public — fondly recalling that history — reared up and cried no way.

This time I’m not so sure. Allegedly, some in Congress hope to win additional funding for the Southwest Chief, but that’s never stopped Amtrak before.

Certainly, they continue to claim the Northeast Corridor is profitable, while everything else is a bust. Rather, the Northeast Corridor could be profitable — and would be profitable — if only Amtrak didn’t have to run the long-distance trains.

The facts are just the opposite. As I wrote for the Washington Post in March 1979, the long distance trains are the moneymakers, indeed, the cash cows holding up the Northeast Corridor.

Wait a minute. That doesn’t make sense. Certainly you would think — if the long distance trains were abolished — the Corridor would then fail, as well.

Indeed it would, nor did I ever say Amtrak made sense. What I did say is that its failed beginnings invariably structured its corporate culture. Finally, it’s all about peddling half truths.

In truth, Amtrak has never made a profit. And that’s the irony of it. Even Congress prefers half truths.

Others point to another truth. Nearly twenty percent of Congress comes from Corridor states.

No matter, the facts speak for themselves. The long distance trains, packed with tourists, provide a stability the corridors lack. In the first place, they run 24, 48, and 72 hours at a clip, during which the turnover between stops is constant. Each resale, whether in the sleeping cars or coaches, allows another premium to be charged for that ticket. Second, who cares if the train is a few hours late? Corridor riders care; they’ve missed their meeting. Tourists are seldom in a rush.

This is to explain why “the cowboys and Indians market,” as that Amtrak executive put it, is the one market, back in 1971, that even the western railroads thought they should keep.

Two did, at least temporarily, the Rock Island and Rio Grande. Why not the rest? Again, remember the fix; Amtrak was supposed to fail. In that case, all of the feeder routes into Chicago would be gone. Everyone, as did your client, would first have to board a plane.

As it stands, the public is growing suspicious. How is it that Amtrak, contrary to the airlines, believes solely in short-haul markets?

As I said in the Washington Post: “The economics of short-haul passenger service are as simple to understand as the analogy of the cab driver who refuses to go around the block when he can pick up a fare out to Dulles. People in the corridors simply don’t ride far enough to generate enough revenue to cover the fixed costs of building and maintaining the system.”

Europe knows this — and overlooks it. But Europe also fills in the blanks. Never have we admitted, as has Europe, that passenger trains are critical for the economy. American tourists, flocking to Europe’s trains, spend billions of dollars vacationing abroad.

To that we just throw up our hands and say: But they’re small countries! Case closed!

No, case reopened. The argument is pure bunk. Together those “small” countries still make up a continent. We lost our trains by selling our continent short.

But dump our European guests in La Junta? Then demand they take a bus? Even if the Southwest Chief is saved — for now — Amtrak is renowned for doing much worse.

As airline critics put it, I say we stop thinking from the middle seat. Better we should dump Amtrak than put up with its nonsense for another 50 years.

Note carefully, however, how I said that. Dump Amtrak — not the passenger train.

It’s time the railroads took them back, and yes, we should be willing to pay what it costs. After all, we’re paying Amtrak now to be just plain stupid. What do we have to lose?

History suggests a time-tested formula — cost plus seven percent. During World War II, with our backs to the wall, we did exactly that. Build the airplanes and tanks and give us the bill. We the taxpayers will add seven percent.

Of course, no scrimping on quality — and not another Amtrak. We want the best tracks, signals, rolling stock, and maintenance.

A train to Grand Canyon? Actually, we deserve three — one every morning, afternoon, and evening. And that’s another thing about Amtrak — often its only train arrives in the dead of night.

Allegedly, even BNSF is finally “appalled” (their word). The Southwest Chief should not be cut. Fine, then is the railroad appalled enough to take it back? No, but what would Warren Buffett say (he owns the railroad) if we offered him cost plus seven percent?

Finally, we might then give Amtrak what it wants — the right to operate just the Northeast Corridor. When they fail (as surely they will), Congress can restructure that, as well.

Right now, I’m more concerned about the Grand Canyon, and yes, Glacier National Park. Were the Empire Builder, like the Southwest Chief, to be scuttled, another great park would be isolated. Where is it written that everyone is obligated to drive, playing bumper tag with heavy trucks?

I know. I’m the mad uncle again ruining everyone’s Sunday dinner. But raise your hands, and be honest. How many people you loved have died in traffic accidents? A friend of mine in junior high school died when hit by a train, but she was in a car.

Stop, look, and listen, and for once, be informed. Dare to question Amtrak’s “authority.” Even some in Congress finally admit its accounting methods are bogus. If only Congress would enforce the admission.

What Congress does best is spend your money. So, tell them how you want it spent. No more spending on Amtrak. Cost plus seven percent. For once you want a rail passenger system the country can be proud of. Mediocrity is just not service. Subsidy? You don’t care what they call it. Just get the job done and keep the trains. You love Indian Country; you love the national parks. It’s Amtrak that belongs in Hells Canyon.

I recommend viewing the article at the “National Parks Traveler” website because of the wonderful illustrations, especially those by my colleague J. Craig Thorpe.

In the interest of full disclosure, I edited this piece with Dr. Runte (“RUNT-ee”). I’ve known Al for a decade. He was a professor of history at the University of Washington before they pushed him out for refusing to be politically correct. He’s the author of books on the national parks and the role the railroads played in creating and nurturing them. The two books mentioned in this article are among those he has written.

I long suspected that the creation of Amtrak was a policy mistake. In 2001, I began working on paradigms by which Amtrak could be zeroed out and the passenger trains returned to the freight railroads in such a way that they could make a profit. I came up with four proposals over 17 years. The second proposal had enough promise that a former chairman of the Federal Railroad Administration permitted me to present it at a symposium in 2005 at the Rayburn Building in DC – only to have it crushed by the Norfolk Southern and the United Transportation Union.

Al disposed of my fourth proposal, based on outsourcing, last year, saying, “The unions will never allow your outsourced train to leave the station.” So I encouraged Al to write this article.

This is made all the more depressing when you see how glorious the trains and railway systems are in other countries, even those which are supposedly a lot more behind than ours in other ways.

And most depressing if you live in Los Angeles and the infrastructure of EVERYTHING is going to *beep* and the streets are becoming de-facto open-air refugee camps with all the homelessness that’s quadrupled.

Were the Empire Builder, like the Southwest Chief, to be scuttled, another great park would be isolated.

the empire builder runs through the least populated part of Montana. For years advocates have called for it to run the southern route Billings-Bozeman-Helena-Missoula but to deaf ears

Oddly enough, the City of Southern California has rediscovered the utility of rail in moving people around a densely populated area -- light rail, heavy rail metro, and heavy rail commuter. Many of the old abandoned Pacific Electric lines have come back in the modern era.

As the more recently built urban areas densify, rail is showing what it can do to move people around efficiently.

Great post and a great read, especially the historical details that got us where we are today. The bologna being served up as prime rib by the current AMTK leadership is even more appalling than the story allows in the allegory of the German traveler. Throw in the dining service cuts (boxed lunch anyone??) and the entire house of cards collapses of its own weight. Special thanks for exposing the total BS on the NEC being “profitable” as so much humbug.

From the article: “A train to Grand Canyon? Actually, we deserve three — one every morning, afternoon, and evening. And that’s another thing about Amtrak — often its only train arrives in the dead of night.”

I’ve looked at a few train trips. Problem is there is only one train. You want to see the scenery? How do you do that when the train travels through there at night? How about leaving the train when it gets into a town in the evening, spend the night in a hotel, get on another train in the morning to continue the journey? Can’t do that. All the trains are on the same schedule.

All good fun, but the minute they dumped everything west of Chicago, Amtrak ceases to be a national system funded for everyone. Change it into a system where the whole country funds Transportation infrastructure for the Northeast Corridor, and Western senators and Congressmen have zero reason to vote for it.

Second, who cares if the train is a few hours late? Corridor riders care; they’ve missed their meeting. Tourists are seldom in a rush.

This one item tells you everything you need to know about the demise of the passenger railroad industry. It's a dying industry that is being propped up by a disappearing group of aging passionate advocates.

The author misses the point completely. Congress isn't killing intercity passenger rail. The airline industry already did that. Amtrak's last hope is to take advantage of the dysfunction in the airline industry and focus its efforts on capturing passengers who are sick of airline travel -- especially for intermediate-length trips between major cities.

The Autotrain is an Amtrak service that runs nonstop from Lorton (VA, near DC) to Sanford (FL, near Orlando). The proposal is to move that into cost-plus-7-percent territory just like the other long distance trains.

Ironically, it's one of few Amtrak trains that shows a consistent profit.

As a railfan, I’d love to see more passenger trains. I know FReepers will hate it, but when Tampa has worse train service than Burlington VT, something’s wrong. I’d love to see the Sunset Limited to Orlando. A Chicago to Florida train. A New York to Maine train and New York to St. Louis train.

I love train travel, but it is so limited as far as destinations are concerned.

We recently took a vacation in New Orleans. My mother and sister came by train because my mother does not want to fly ever again. We would like to treat my mother to a trip to Yellowstone, but there seems to be no train service there.

There is no cost savings of taking the train vs. flying. I suppose there would be if we traveled coach, but that would be very uncomfortable for a trip lasting several days.

I would like to see Amtrak restructured so that it can be profitable. I also would like to see the dining service stay. The chefs on board are awesome.

Back in the old days, passenger trains were subsidized by the Post Office Department. Every passenger train had an RPO (railroad post office) car. When the airlines got the mail contract in 1967, the passenger trains lost their government subsidy, and the freight railroads began abandoning them in droves. This was why Amtrak was created. "We'll take the passenger trains off your hands," the government said, "provided you give them priority dispatching." Today, only BNSF honors that agreement.

Under cost-plus-7-percent, each passenger train makes a profit, and the more passenger trains you run, the more profit you make.

That may be how all the routes you desire can come back.

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